Prague

It’s no surprise that Prague is wildly popular with tourists. It looks like a fairytale everywhere you look, and it’s just perfect for families. It’s one of the most affordable cities in Europe, and it was especially a relief for us because we visited beautiful, but expensive Copenhagen, right before Prague.

We flew Norwegian, and arrived in Prague in under 1.5 hours. Norwegian is a budget airline that has its fans and detractors, but we thought it was fine for within Europe.

WHEN:

We spent 6 days at the end of May. This was a pretty good time; it was cool, and you needed a jacket most days, but the city wasn’t terribly overcrowded, but it was certainly getting there, with summer being right around the corner and schools closing. June would be even better weather-wise, but Prague is known to get uncomfortably packed with tourists from June to August. So keep that in mind.

6 days was simply not enough! We used up one of the days to visit Dresden, Germany, but looking back, we could have used about 7-8 days just for Prague and the surrounding towns.

STAY:

If you want to stay close to the action, stay in the Mala Strana or Old Town (Stare Mesto) neighborhoods. You can get to all the main attractions from here, by walk or public transport. We stayed at the Hotel Mala Strana, not the most beautiful, but it was right for our budget. It’s a little dated, but their daily breakfast and proximity to Prague Castle made it a great choice for us. They had a kitchenette and was very spacious

MOOo Apartments are also much loved, for families, and have a few different locations.

TRANSPORTATION:

G & B are almost 7.5 and 5.5 now and curious about everything. But also very confident and eager to hop on board public transportation, and walk for miles if need be, with rest stops for ice-cream! More on ice-cream later!

Prague’s main areas are extremely walkable. And the public transport system is amazing! The trains, buses and trams are on time, and connect most of the larger Prague area. There is wifi on the trains as well, and free wifi just about any store/building you step into.

We chose to book a cab to get to/from the airport/hotel. This cost us 600 czk, or about $26.

Buy an all-day pass at the nearest metro stations. You can’t buy tickets on the tram itself, so make sure you get it at the train station or at a tobacco or newspaper store. Our nearest metro station was Malostranska, and the walk from our hotel to there took us about 15 minutes and brought us right by Prague Castle for an amazing time at sunset. Make sure you validate it as soon as you board so it prints the expiry time on your ticket.

Do:

• Charles Bridge or Karlovy Most. This bridge over the Vltava River connects Mala Strana and Old Town. It can get very crowded; so head out as early as possible in the morning to experience the bridge in quietude. I went at 5:30 am, and there still were hundreds of tourists there already in the midst of photoshoots. Who can blame them? It sure is pretty! For an even more incredible view, climb to the top of the tower on the Old Town side of the bridge (East) to watch the sunset over Prague Castle. It is hard to beat! You have to pay to enter, but it is well worth it. Check sunset times and go a little bit before that.

• Prague Castle. The most popular tourist attraction in Prague. You will need a ticket to see inside St. Vitus Cathedral and climb it for an amazing view. It gets very crowded when it opens at 10AM. So you have a few options:
  • Get there an hour before opening time
  • Purchase tickets ahead of time online with a tour group and guide, but remember you will be jostling with many others. Most visitors find Circuit B ( St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower ) suits them best.
  • Go after 5 pm, especially around sunset. You will not be able to enter St. Vitus Cathedral, but you can still see most everything for free. In our opinion, this was the best option as it meant fewer people and enjoying the 1000 year old complex at our own pace.

• Prague Zoo: We took an Uber to the zoo, because it is a bit away from the city center. It is huge! You could spend all day here. The kiddos absolutely loved it. Our favorite however was the elephant dung paper factory where Mr. Charles patiently helped the kids transform elephant dung into paper and embossed it for them. You have to pay extra for this activity but it was worth it. MY favorite was the coffee vending machines there. 20 Koruna(89 US cents) for a fancy cappuccino? Yes please!

• Old Town Square: This is also best visited early in the morning when the crowds are thinner. It is also popular with pick-pockets, so watch out.
• The stunning astronomical clock in OTS is completely worth it! It is the oldest such clock that is still in operation. On the hour, the skeleton figure rings the bell. Notice the other figures representing Lust, Vanity, Greed and the apostles react! It is quite a sight!
• Climb the astronomical clock tower for a fee, particularly before sunset, to see beautiful views of the Church of Our Lady of Tyn, and all the other structures of Old Town Square.
• Visit the church Kostel svatého Jiljí just a 4 minute walk from OTS.
• Jewish Quarter: You have to purchase tickets to visit the Synagogues, and graveyard. I’d recommend joining a tour for this one if your kids are up to it. It is easy to miss out on all the info made available, otherwise. The interiors and exteriors of some are magificent!
• Children’s playground at the base of the Charles River. This one was a big hit with the kids. Look for Dětské hřiště – Playground by the Žofín Palace.
• Not far from the above playground check out the very unique Gehry-designed Dancing House. All up and down Masarykovo nábř. are beautiful buildings that will take your breath away.
• Lennon Wall murals, fun and takes just a few minutes.
• The Statue of Franz Kafka in the Quadrio Shopping Center is really fun! Watch us the “slices” assemble to form the head.
• Check out the Paternoster looping elevator inside Prague City Hall. This isn’t very easy to find as there are no signs advertising it. When you enter, walk in and make a right and keep going down the hallway and you are sure to find it. Word of caution though, riding the paternoster is risky for kids, so do not let them try this!
• Visit the Prague Municipal building next door, houses Matej Kren’s ‘Idiom’, a tower of books that has mirrors inside that make it appear like a never-ending structure. The pictures are jaw-dropping!
• On a beautiful day, rent a paddle boat on the Vltava River
• The St. Nicholas in Malá Strana offers classical music concerts such as Mozart’s Sonatas. https://www.pragueticketoffice.com/event/1113322-mozart-by-st-nicholas-organ-concert-in-st-nicholas-lesser-town/2019-07-20-18-00/
• Petrin Hill. Don’t miss this fun experience for the kids! From Mala Strana, take the funicular at Újezd. Validate your pass before you enter, as checks do happen! The next stop is Nebozízek. This is a great spot to take pictures of the city. The next & final stop is Petřín. There is a lot to do at the top of the hill, but many of the attractions are pricier than other parts of Prague: The Lookout Tower, the Maze of Mirrors, Strahov Monastery and the Observatory. There is a small kids’ playground that our littles enjoyed.
• Letna Park. If you enjoyed the views from Petrin Hill, you will be in disbelief when you get to Letna Park. Look for the restaurant at Hanavsky Pavilon. Not only is the restaurant beautiful but the view from there is the best of all the bridges and the city. Absolutely do not miss this one.
• Kampa Park. There is a well reviewed restaurant here, a kid’s playground and a park to relax in while taking in the views of the Charles Bridge and the swans that abound in the area.
• There are kids playgrounds all over the city, but one of our favorites was the one by the main train station, Praha hlavní nádraží.

EAT:

1. The #1 thing to try in Prague is Svíčková-beef sirloin and a vegetable gravy, eaten with a side of dumplings. We could eat this everyday!
2. Pork knuckle. We tried this at the super touristy Restaurant U Flecku. Some call it a tourist trap , but we enjoyed the food, the beer and the atmosphere.
3. Trdelnik. While the origin of this ice-cream is probably questionable, you will find plenty of vendors selling these in Old Town. Good Food Coffee & Bakery is a good choice with a wide variety. Kids will love it too!
4. Lokal Dlouhaaa for excellent prices on all Czech favorites, including Svíčková and cheap beer. The roast beef and fried cheese are also very good.
5. Langos
6. Cafe Savoy in Mala Strana, for brunch. The food here is pretty and delicious!
7. Restaurant Pod Vezi offers a beautiful view of Charles Bridge
8. Terasa au Prince for lunch or dinner. This overlooks OTS and the astro clock and has an incredible view!
9. Jidelna cafeteria for cheap but good food
10. Another restaurant with a view is T-Anker on the roof of Kotva mall.
11. Other Czech dishes to try: pork & cabbage (vepro knedlo zelo), kulajda (mushroom potato soup), Pecena Kachna (roasted duck). I had an excellent duck at a restaurant in Kutna Hora town.
12. Kolaches. While we ate some pretty good ones at farmers markets around town, make a trip to Cukrar Lukas Skala in Nove Mesto. (Cukrarna means patisserie, Mesto is town, a little lesson in Czech!)
13. For a unique dining experience, check out Restaurant Peklo. Here you can dine inside of a cave while sipping on blueberry beer! This is a perfect stop after a visit to Prague Castle.
14. Did you know Prague has not one but TWO Michelin star restaurants? La Degustation and Field have both received amazing reviews and if we had another day in Prague, we would certainly have eaten at either.
15. Roesel coffee right by Charles Bridge is a neat place for a quick coffee and snack. Don’t forget to read the history of the ownership of the building, which is posted at the entrance
16. Jordan kebab. We loved this recommendation from Honest Guide’s Youtube Channel. For the price of a cheap & delicious meal, you have enjoy a fantastic view of St. Nicholas church and Prague Castle from Malostranske Namesti.
17. Cafe Louvre, and iconic 100 year old cafe, perfect for some hot chocolate.
18. If your kids need a break from all the traditional foods and are craving some nuggets (!), you’ll find schnitzel almost anywhere.

Havel’s Market is an outdoor market where you can pick up souvenirs. Marionette dolls and Christmas and Easter ornaments are some of the more unusual finds here. But be careful, many or even most are Made in China, and that is certainly best to avoid. The produce stalls here offer bountiful and cheap produce. There are also souvenir shops right next to the market that are worth a look.

SIDE TRIPS:

We made a couple of side trips; one to the charming town of Kutna Hora and the second across the border to Dresden in Germany

NOTES

WiFi is available widely, even on buses/trams!

Euros are accepted in some places, but the main currency is the Czech Koruna. Make sure to withdraw money from a reputed ATM using your non-fee debit card. Make sure not to exchange money on the streets

Be sure to watch as many of episodes of Honest Guide to Prague as possible. The hosts Janek Rubes and Honza Mikulka completely demystified Prague for us.

Learn a few Czech phrases. Not only is it useful but it also shows you are making an effort to be respectful.

A lot of the young people spoke English, but don’t assume everyone knows it. I found it pretty hard to make sense of the Czech language because it is almost completely different from Indo-Germanic. Don’t forget your translator apps!

Most tickets including those for transportation offer discounts for families or for young children!

FUTURE:

On a future trip to Prague, it would be great to visit the following:

1. The spa town of Karlovy Vary known for its mineral waters and specialty wafers
2. The city of Brno
3. Český Krumlov, a beautiful city in South Bohemia
4. České Budějovice
5. Karlstejn Castle
6. Vysehrad neighborhood of Prague which has its own castle and ramparts. This is also where you will find the final resting place of Antonin Dvorak, the famous Czech composer.
7. Medieval dining experience in Prague
8. Lobkowicz Palace
9. The Original Beer Spa; I don’t think kids are allowed in here though!
10. Klementium Library
11. Strahov Monastery
12. Day trip to Terezin, a World War II concentration camp and Jewish ghetto
13. Plzeň for the Pilsner brewery
14. Czech glass-making tour
15. Franz Kafka Museum